Lead Generation for Print Marketing: How to capture leads from print ads

Zara Rizwan |
June 28, 2017

Print marketing is still a popular media for marketers to engage their target audience. If fact, this marketing channel is growing year-on-year. According to stats from a 2015 survey, the estimated global expenditure on print media is expected to go from USD 247.8 Bn in 2014 to USD 260 Bn by 2018.

But print media is not without its challenges. Unlike digital marketing, it was not trackable. However, this was solved by using QR Code technology. A marketer can use QR Codes to give interested consumers an option to engage with the ad and take an action—see detailed information, watch a video, register for an event, etc.

Despite use of this technology to track consumer activity, it is still not possible to know ‘who’ scanned the QR Code. Generic QR Code scanners cannot automatically capture personal information (name, email, phone number) of the scanning user. This makes it difficult for marketers to remarket these consumers in future campaigns.

But this can be solved using Lead Generation.

What is Lead Generation?

Marketers can use Lead Generation to easily capture leads from their print media campaigns and build a list of potential customers.

This is how Lead Generation works:

Say you are running a campaign where you are offering a 20% discount on your product

But to get the coupon code, the potential customer will need to scan the QR Code on the print ad

When the QR Code is scanned, the landing page contains a quick form and the user is required to fill in details such as name and phone number—this is the Lead Generation page

When the details are successfully submitted, the customer will be redirected to the coupon code page

Leads captured via this method are populated in a database (called a Leads List) and can be downloaded or integrated with a CRM software

How to set up Lead Generation?

To set up lead generation, you will need an advanced QR Code Management tool such as Scanova. Scanova is one of the very few QR Code Management tools that provides the Lead Generation feature.

A. Create a Leads List

A Leads List is a database (like a spreadsheet) where the leads are saved. In each list, you can define fields such as Name, Contact Number, Email ID, Company Name, etc. You can add and customize the fields as per your campaign requirements.

To create a Leads List using Scanova:

1. Go to Scanova Dashboard > Leads > New List

2. A window will open where you can name the list and customise the fields according to your preferences

3. Once done, click on ‘Create’ to generate your list

Note that you can use either a single list for all your QR Codes or you can create a list for each one of them.

B. Add Lead Generation Feature to QR Code

1. Proceed to create a QR Code from the dashboard

Scanova Dashboard > Choose QR Code > Add Content

2. When you have specified the content, click on Create QR Code

3. A window will open prompting you to name and save the QR Code. In this window, select the ‘Capture Leads’ option to enable Lead Generation

4. After selection, first you will be prompted to choose a Leads List where all the leads captured using this QR Code will be saved. In this option, select the List created in Step A

5. Once you have chosen the List, you’ll see more options (instruction text, fields, button text, etc.) to customize the Lead Generation landing page that users will see when they scan the QR Code. Note that all fields created in the List will automatically appear here

6. Once you have finalized the content of the landing page, click on ‘Save’ to generate the QR Code

Lead Generation has now been set up. You can now add this QR Code to your marketing campaigns. The leads captured will be stored in the chosen Leads List.

C. Analytics and Exporting Leads Data

Scanova also allows you to view stats on your Lead Generation-enabled campaigns. You can view total number of leads captured by time and source (QR Codes). It is also possible to export the Leads data is CSV format for further analysis.

To view Lead Generation Analytics, here’s what you need to do:

1. Go to Scanova Dashboard > Leads

2. From the Leads Lists, choose the List for which you wish to see Analytics (and export leads)

3. On the page that opens, you will be able to see the analytics and download the leads (by time and source)

D. Update Lead Generation

To make changes to the lead generation landing page:

1. Go to Scanova Dashboard > Saved QR Codes

2. Select the Lead Generation-enabled QR Code that you wish to update

3. On the page that opens, you will be able to update the elements of the page such as instruction text, fields, order of the fields, and the button text

4. Once you’ve made the changes, select ‘Update Lead Generation’

Note that you can also edit the content of the QR Code via this page.

Follow the above steps to add Lead Generation to your QR Codes to build a list of highly-targeted potential customers. These leads have already shown interest in your promotional ad and even made the effort to share their contact details.

With these highly targeted leads, you can rapidly increase your print media conversion rates. So start building a Lead Generation strategy via print media today.